Structure and Variability of Embryos, Endosperm and Perisperm During in Vitro Culture of Sugar Beet, Beta vulgaris Ovules

Abstract

In recent years much progress has been made in the induction of haploid plants in economic crop species (e.g. Hu & Yang 1986) and doubled haploid lines are frequently used as a source of homozygosity in breeding programmes as well as in basic genetic studies. By far the most popular and widespread technique for haploid induction has been to exploit the androgenic pathway from in vitro cultured anthers or microspores (Hu & Yang 1986). However, androgenic methods have not been developed in all economic plants and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) is one of the more important crop species where haploid induction through anther culture has proven unsuccessful until now (Rogozinska et al. 1977; Van Geyt et al. 1985). Instead, a very successful system for the production of gynogenic haploids through in vitro culture of unpollinated beet ovules (Hosemans & Bossoutrot 1983, 1985; Bossoutrot & Hosemans 1985; Van Geyt et al. 1987) and their use in practical breeding progammes (D’Halluin & Keimer 1986) has been established.